Auto-Sleepers' 50th anniversary give-away

Rob GanleyGroup editor

Auto-Sleepers celebrates 50 years of manufacturing motorhomes this weekend (May 6-8, 2011), and is inviting all Auto-Sleepers owners to join its anniversary parties. Any owner who visits their local Auto-Sleepers dealer over the weekend will receive a complimentary gift for supporting the brand down the years. There are currently 25 dealers sited across the UK.

Auto-Sleepers celebrates 50 years of manufacturing motorhomes this weekend (May 6-8, 2011), and is inviting all Auto-Sleepers owners to join its anniversary parties.

Any owner who visits their local Auto-Sleepers dealer over the weekend will receive a complimentary gift for supporting the brand down the years. There are currently 25 dealers sited across the UK.

The Willersey firm is arguably the best-known, most prestigious motorhome brand in the UK, and for good reason. The company was formed in 1961 after Calverley Trevelyan built an Austin J2 conversion and took his family on tour in it. Through the decades, Auto-Sleepers is most famous for its hugely successful monocoque motorhomes (many of which are still in use today) and for its van conversions.

The company quickly became the market leader in the UK, and exported to European countries including France, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and as far afield as Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

At its height, Auto-Sleepers built 1400 motorhomes a year, with 200 employees, and won eight annual Caravan Industry Awards for motorhomes on the trot.

Calverley Trevelyan’s son Anthony ran the company for 40 years from its Willersey base, before selling it in 2000 to Marquis Motorhomes, forming the Auto-Sleepers Group.

The Group was bought by Italian motorhome manufacturer SeA, but returned to British ownership following a management buyout by today’s directors Geoff Scott and Mike Crouch.

Today, the company builds van conversions on the Peugeot Boxer and Volkswagen Transporter bases, and coachbuilts on Boxer and Mercedes Sprinter bases. It also produces a large number of ’vans exclusively for the Marquis dealer network, and last summer began building caravans, which it badged AS Caravans.

For further information about the Anniversary event and to locate your local Auto-Sleepers dealer, click here.